Live By The Truth Of The Scriptures

January 2008

Recently I had the opportunity to see a new documentary produced by Kansas University students on the ministry of Fred Phelps.  Many of you will know that Phelps has been a very controversial figure in Kansas religious life.  The documentary showed Phelps and various family members talking about their beliefs and activities.  To counter his ideas the producers filmed a number of liberal ministers including a professor from a school in Kansas City.

As I watched the documentary, I realized that I had as much difference with the liberal figures as I did with Fred Phelps.  One of the things that upset me about the documentary was that Christianity’s view on homosexuality was being defined by the extremes.  I believe that there is a biblical middle ground which does not yield to Phelps’s radicalism or to liberal acceptance of homosexuality.

How should we as believers looking at homosexuality?  First of all, I believe that the Bible teaches that the practice of homosexuality is a sin.  Romans 1:27 makes it very clear that homosexuality is viewed as a sin in the New Testament.  Despite liberal attempts to water down the meaning of scripture, I don’t know how you can get around the plain teaching of this passage.

I realize that there is a lot of cultural pressure on the church to yield at the point of homosexuality.  Many are finding it easy to gloss over the teaching of the New Testament in order to smooth the waters with a secular culture.  That route of yielding to the pressures of society is a route leading to disaster.

Once you begin to compromise the Word of God, where will it end?  I for one do not want to see the church go down that road.  There are many who are worried about the relevance of the church in today’s world, but the route of compromise will lead us to the place where we can no longer be salt and light in our communities.

On the other hand, we need to affirm that the practice of homosexuality is a forgivable sin.  Phelps and his followers assert that somehow homosexuals are beyond the pale of the gospel.  I find that nowhere taught in the New Testament.  Phelps seems to operate more out of the mode of being an Old Testament prophet than a New Testament believer.

The Old Testament prophets did preach judgment and damnation upon various sinful communities.  We, however, are New Testament believers.  We are entrusted with the witness of the resurrected Christ and the good news of the forgiveness of sin because of his death on the cross.

We should never abandon the clearer Biblical teaching that the practice of homosexuality is a sin.  However, we must also never abandon the truth that Christ died for homosexuals as well as murderers, fornicators, adulterers, or any other sinners.  Homosexuals need to hear the preaching of the gospel (good news).  They need to know that there is redemption out of their situation.  They need to know that Christ can bring forgiveness and a new life to them.

Let us as Southern Baptists live by the truth of the scriptures, not the perverted interpretations of Fred Phelps nor the perverted interpretations of the liberals.  Let us walk the way prescribed by Jesus Christ, who provides forgiveness to all sinners who come to Him.

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